Historic milestones for Church in Colombia

May 1966 â Elders Randall Harmsen and Jerry Broome of the Andes Mission arrive in Bogota and begin missionary work.
Dec. 6 1966 â The Colombian government grants the Church legal status.
1968 â The Colombia-Venezuela Mission is created.
Jan. 23 1977 â Colombias first stake is created in Bogota.
March 5 1977 â President Spencer W. Kimball visits Colombia and presides over an area conference in Bogota.
Jan . 25 1999 â A devastating earthquake rattles the mountain city of Armenia killing 920 people (including three Church members). The Church responds with relief supplies.
April 24 1999 â President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicates the Bogota Colombia Temple. He calls the dedication the greatest event in the history of Colombia.
Dec. 31 2004 â There are 146302 members in 24 stakes four missions and 17 districts. One temple.
Dec. 2 2005 â The Colombian Congress recognizes the Church for its ongoing humanitarian service in Colombia. A medal of commendation is presented to Elder Claudio R.M. Costa of the Seventy who represented the Church at the ceremony.
Source: 2006 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac